The National tribune., 1887-03-24
CAPTURE OF PETERSBURG.
The i2ist v. Y. Takes the Floor and Asks 10 gs
Heard.

Heard.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: For several
years have read history in your valuable pa
per- ana love to read it; but why should the
comrades dispute? There is honor enough for
all who did their duty we'll Even Carleton"
Gen5. Howard, Sicklcs and many Others did
not see it all. And whenever / read where n
comrade thinks his statements ars true and
all Others false my opinion of him is. If he saw
1t all he was not in his place in the ranks fight
Ing hard. Those who fought with the mpsset
saw little save what took place very near them.
As comrades are fast growing old and prav Wa
should have more charity, Since Oct z, 1856,
when John Narrower fst Mich. Sharpshooters,
opened the ball about Petersburg MANY have
written their views upon it. I make no issue,
but only a statement
The Second Brigade, First Division, Sixth
Corps, was on April J. 1850 composed OF the
g6th IA, both y. y, 12ist y. T. and ID Conn.,
III. A., commanded by Brig. Gen. Joseph T..
H3miln, formerly Colonel of the 9th n Y.
During the night of April this brigade took a
position on the extreme right OF the corps i'm
'front.' or the Qualifications near the look out aud
Fort Fisher, and formed in two lines Of battle.
The left of the Ninth Corps was more than a
mile from our right, so our flank was exposed.
~ 4 o'clock a. m. April 2, at q signal. the
corps charged the enemy IN their front. Vol
unteer5 with axes went in advance and cut
away the abatis. Before sunrise we were ia
the enemy's works, and the Connecticut heavy
artillery used the captured guns on the fleeing
rebels. BY this time the brigade had lost is
formation. Some Of the boys started in pursuit.
some moved up the works to the right and cap
tured fort, while others held the works taken
At this point Gen. A. p. Hi was killed only a
few rods in our 'front.'
Next Gen. U. S. Grant rode down the lines
from the left, bringing with him the Twenty
/ fourth Corps, Gen. Ord commanding. By
g.e
eeen driven ont Of the fort which the Twenty
fourth Corps atterward recIptured. suffering
heavy loss thereby. Gen. Grant ordered Gen
/ Hamiin to take his brigade to the support of
/ the Ninth Corps We started about a. m.
and dld not get in position near Fort He'll IN
III late ~ the afternoon. The route taken was
IN the form of the letter c. passing By the look
/ out our Old camp, and by the railroad. We re-
I Heved Pennsylvania troops whose rcgimeutal
number was about 300
We occupied the front line Of works-thnse
taken from the enemy in the morning bv the
Ninth Corps-and during the night heard
heavy explosions in the city. About o'clock
q. m. April the 121st " Y Col t. OIcott,
and I'd Conn. III. A. Col. Hubbard moved for
ward as skirmishers, rapidly driving the enemy
before them. The writer, who was in the color
guard, followed with the reserve. which also
moved rapidly. just as the light began to
streak the East the brigade entered the city.
Inc Color Sergeant OF the l2l5t n. Y. John III.
Brandon, refused to let the color5 20 from his
hands to be carried forward by an officer on a
horse, as were the cOl0rs of another brigade,
which soon after entered by a street on our
right near the river. The c0lors of the 10Th
n. Y. were thus carried forward. This regi-
ment l20th y. - was part Of another de-
tached brigade, which also had been sent to the
support of the Ninth Corps.
Now | say positively that I believe, aud at
ways shall, that these two brigades were the
first Union troops in Petersburg. but which
first passed the city limits no one knows. We
were all strangers there, and it was dark /
/ think the cOlOrs of the Goth n Y were the
/ first raised on public building. Comrades, re-
member that Sergeant Brandon with his guard
was far in the rear, and had to run right
smart to catch his regiment by the time it
formed IN the city. Our brigade captured
over half the prisoners taken in Petersburg.
At a. N. we left the city, returned to our
camp, took up our packs I'VE had been in
/ light marching order and pulled out after
| Lees army. That afternoon we saw President
Lincoln for the last time. At 4 D. M. the time
/ the 1st Mich. 5. $. raised their coors in the
\ city, we were dozen miles away bObbing after
/ the JOhnnies. I would like to correspond with
/ those who were there. VI. LOvEJOY, Seere-
tary l2lst n. Y Regimental Association South
/ Valley, 0tsegO Co., y. Y.